


Ink In Your Soul

by Can_i_hear_a_Wahoo



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Attempt at Humor, Fluff, M/M, Magical Tattoos, no beta we die like women
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-11-23 03:08:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20885126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Can_i_hear_a_Wahoo/pseuds/Can_i_hear_a_Wahoo
Summary: Harry didn't know that a visit to the tattoo parlor after losing a bet would end like this. But maybe his friends did.





	Ink In Your Soul

**Author's Note:**

> First fic in ao3, this is the my friend's and I baby.
> 
> taged it as mature but the first chapters won't have any adult content.
> 
> to anybody that ends up reading this, thanks we hope you enjoy it!

Harry loves his best friends, how couldn’t he? They have been there when he didn’t know what it was to have a friend, to have someone to cry on, when the idea of having a family was so foreign to him, even when everything was against them on their fight against Voldemort. So, yes, he loves them and he will be ready to fight anyone or anything for them, what he doesn’t love tho, is when Ginny and Ron decide they should team against him. Like right now when he is being dragged in the middle of Diagon Alley out of Leaky Cauldron.

“We should go back, is freezing out here” said Harry while trying to cover himself with his quidditch uniform when he felt chilly, why he didn’t change on something more warm before going to drink? Oh yes, because he is an idiot, it’s that same stupidity that brings him to his current problem, redhead, two redheads more specifically.

“You are just trying to run out off the bet, mate” said Ron without even looking at him “and that is not going to happen” Harry sighed, Ron knew him so well, but again what was he expecting of his brother?

“Yeah!” screamed Ginny next to Harry “and we are going with you to be your support system, being there when all that skin of yours is covered on ink” she continued with a sweet smile. She might fool everyone else, but Harry knew better, he shivered again.

“Can I know at least where are we going?” said Harry when they did a sudden turn on a corner. He is sure he has never seen this part of Diagon Alley, everything looks shady…. not that he doubts his siblings, but it’s like he aparated, one moment the lights of red and green where all over the streets and know there is only one lamp that is not even working properly, Harry starts to fidget.

He just wants this stupid bet to end so he can go home, and have some hot cocoa... maybe visit Teddy in the morning, if he is not hungover, so Harry sighs again but keeps walking, until he sees it, that bloody sign that is mocking him.

The tattoo parlor was not much better than the rest of the street, the building was old and runned down, the fresh coat of black paint didn't do much to help with the unnerving vibe the place had to it. Harry was once again regretting every single life choice that brought him to this very moment. He goes into full stop as he reaches the door, only to feel two pairs of traitorous hands push him inside.

“I hate you guys, you are both bastards” Harry practically whined 

Ginny pushed him harder “Well we might be bastards, but we didn't lose a bet” she said grunting slightly with effort

“And you are a liar, you love us” Ron said, hugging him, lifting him of the floor and getting him inside the shop.

“Hey put me down, we are not kids!” Harry said, but it lost any credibility as a laugh escaped him, but Ron obliged all the same

Once he calmed down, Harry was completely taken aback. The inside was unexpected to say the least, it looked sleek and modern, most of the furniture was shiny and dark, while the walls were a deep emerald color, very much unlike every other establishment in Diagon Alley, but somehow it still felt welcoming, it had a familiar feel to it that Harry couldn't pinpoint exactly, it made him a bit less anxious about the whole deal. The sample work of the artist decorate every space available, hundreds of beautiful flowers, skulls and creatures decorate every wall, going around from place to place, the artist clearly had a lot of talent, the ink creations moved in an almost life like manner, leaving Harry in awe. 

“So? what do you think?” Ginny said with a mischievous smile on her face.

“Better than I expected” Harry said, not managing to hide the relief on his voice

“You were looking a bit pale mate, is Harry Potter scared of some needles?” Ron teased, poking at his cheek.

“Piss off Ronald” said Harry, without any real anger and slapped Ron’s hand.

Harry looked around the store, after all, if he was going to get stabbed with a needle multiple times because of a stupid bet, he could at least get a tattoo worth the pain. Then he saw it, almost imperceptible among all the other movement in the walls, a golden snitch. The small dot of gold flew nearly as fast as the real thing and Harry couldn’t get his eyes away from it, it was perfect.

“That's the one” Harry said pointing at the snitch.

All three of them jumped at the voice of a young man coming from behind them, “The snitch, huh, nice choice is one of my best work”

Harry couldn't say what he expected the tattoo artist to look like, but he for sure did not expect to see Draco Malfoy, it had been years since they last saw each other.

“So, how did Harry Potter end up in this fine establishment?” Malfoy said sounding genuinely amused at the sight of the three of them, a smile stretching his lips.

“How did I end up here? How did YOU?! This is the last place I thought I’d see you Malfoy” Harry felt truly curious as to when the heir of a “pure blood” family decided he wanted to draw on people for a living.

“Draco” the small smile fell off Malfoy’s face, his expression didn't change much, but now there was a bitter sadness in his light green eyes.

“What?” Harry said feeling entirely too confused.

“My name, I go by Draco” said the platinum blond man softer than Harry has ever heard him say anything, not even when he was trapped in Malf-, no, Draco’s basement “and it doesn't matter how I became a tattoo artist, what’s important is that I'm the best” but he was still a prick, good to know somethings don’t change.

Draco started to move to the back of the store, Harry eyeing him suspiciously “Why did we come to this arsehole’s store” Harry asked Ron in an angry whisper.

Ron held his shoulder and looked at him with a serious expresion “Harry, believe me, I never thought I’d say this, you know how much I disliked Malfoy back when we were at Hogwarts, but we all have changed. Draco is a good person, an awesome tattoo artist and an even better friend, so try to act nice, will you?”

“Alright, alright, but only if he doe the same” Harry said reluctantly.

“Over here” Draco said, leading them further through the parlor, until they reach a pair of black curtains half open, if Harry thought the waiting room was brilliant, here it was breathtaking, there were similar things to a muggle’s tattoo parlor, two leather chairs, more works from Draco, and all the tools for inking on people’s skin. But you could feel magic flowing, and the ceiling, Harry swallowed, he could never feel disappointed if magic was in the mix.

The ceiling looked like it was blessed by mother nature herself. There were thousands of shining stars, the hue of the sky changing with every passing second, from greens and deep blues to a contrasting magenta, reds and oranges blending together, the slow moving clouds reflecting the light, creating new colors, there were even some shooting stars passing by. It was a milky way ceiling Harry concluded. 

“It’s -” Harry couldn’t finish his sentence, nothing will make justice to the beauty that was above him, it was like seeing art itself, making him feel it at peace.

“I know” said Draco standing a little further than Harry, and isn’t that funny? Who would have thought that they could agree on something without screaming to the other. It was like having a little truce. And maybe, he could admit to himself in that moment that Draco looked better, content, happy even. 

“Where is that snitch going to go?” The blond said absent minded while he prepared the stencil 

“My shoulder” Harry said, straddling the black leather chair, and lifting his shirt, feeling a knot starting to form in his stomach. Draco sat beside him cleaning his shoulder blade with some disinfectant, making him shiver at the cool sensation. Draco pressed the image to his skin, holding it in place, Harry felt his face heat up a bit and he could hear Ron and Ginny already giggling at their evil plan against him coming to fruition. 

“Why did you want a tattoo?, if you don’t mind me asking” Draco said, peeling the print, Harry let out a sigh, not going back, this is happening.

Harry mumbled not wanting to face the shame of the defeat once again.

“Sorry, what was that?” Draco said amused “Harry, it’s not nice to evade a question”

“I lost a bet!” Harry groaned.

“You did?” Draco said giving the redheads a suspicious look.

“Oh yeah he sure did, didn’t he, Ron?” Ginny elbowed her brother playfully.

Draco let out a half laugh, well at least they were getting some fun out of this, “Hermione would be so disappointed in you guys” 

“That is why she isn’t here ” Ron said matter of factly “She would’ve probably stopped us by now, or killed us, or both”

“Now I know Hermione is the only true friend I have” Harry said with mock sadness.

“Alright Potter, this tattoos are a bit different, I think you already gather that they move, but not too far from their original spot, also, it won’t hurt worse in different areas, but it will hurt, so if you need a break or something, just say so” Draco said this in a professional manner, like he had repeated this information countless times, and he probably has. The weirdest part, however, was being called Potter once again, it should make him feel mad, but instead, it was nice, it had none of the bitterness of the past, Draco was actually being friendly.

“Let’s begin” Harry heard a buzzing sound and felt the fast pricking of the needle, the ink leaving his skin feeling raw, he started to tense up when Draco spoke again.

“Try to relax, why don't you tell me about this bet, what were you supposed to do?”

“In my last match I said that because of the weather conditions of december it was going to take me two hours to find the golden snitch, Ginny and Ron disagreed ”

“So they were right, it took you longer and you lost” Draco said calmly.

“No, they said I’ll do it in less than two hours, I catched it at an hour and fifty eight minutes”

Draco let out giggle, “Harry Potter betrayed by his own talents and his friends”

“The sad story of my life” Harry couldn't help to join Draco in his amusement.

After that the process was much easier, even when the coloring proved to be more painful than the plain black ink, they talked about Harry’s team, Teddy, about Draco’s friends, even music and to Harry’s surprise, a couple of muggle movies Draco enjoyed, he had definitely changed over the years.

They made their exit through the front door, Harry was immersed on his own thoughts about everything that occured. He never thought about what had happened to Draco, not because he hated him like he used to claim when they’re teenagers, but because he had more important things at the moment, like the nightmares that would make him scream until his throat was raw every night because he could see everyone die, not winning a fight that needed to be win.

He needed a lot of help, and it wasn’t easy at the beginning, but he hasn’t been alone since he came to Hogwarts, and his heart just aches a little thinking about how many people care about him. And then, later, when he was in a better place, not terrified of loud sounds or holding his wand through the night, he just wasn’t thinking about what happened at Hogwarts. His attention was in training to be a Quidditch player, eating with the Weasley’s, being there for Teddy, living the life that was stolen from him the moment he was born. 

He just remembered that he wasn’t alone at the moment when he heard Ron making a sound with his boots, and then it hit him like a truck “you were unusually quiet” said Harry to Ron and Ginny, something like suspiciousness lacing his voice. Harry didn’t think about it before because he was focusing on Draco, but now that he thinks about it, he was expecting a lot more teasing from his friends, most of the time felt like Harry and Draco were the only ones in the room, until he would hear someone moving around or making a comment about how brilliant the tattoo was looking. 

“We are just tired, mate” said Ron while holding his hand near his mouth, it was obvious for his teary eyes that he was exhausted, but that was not what Harry was speaking about. 

“No, I mean, even when were inside the parlor, you didn’t speak at all, and you were the ones excited for me getting a tattoo” and Harry just noticed how at his words his best friend stiffened slightly, now this was getting more strange “something you would like to share, Ron?” said Harry in a matter of factly voice that resembled Hermione’s.

“Uhmm.. no, no.. “ it looked like Ron was trying to not say something, muttering so soft “bullocks” that Harry wouldn’t have heard it, if they weren’t so close to the other.

So Harry said one more time “are you sure? you look like you want to speak about it” Harry knew he could persuade his best friend to spill the tea, he just needed a little more of pressure, but of course at that moment Ginny decided to interfere.

“Come on, arseholes!” Ginny put herself between her two excuse of brothers putting an arm in each of their shoulders “I want to arrive home, not discuss in the middle of the street freezing to death”

“Ginny, we are wizards” said Harry in the most deadpan voice he could muster, “you can use a spell” but he still allowed her to being dragged to the floo network. 

“We ArE WiZSarzz” said Ginny in the most atrocious voice she had, while posing like this muggle cartoon, Harry knew it was a mistake to introduce her to memes, now he was seeing why. He just sighed one more time with a smile on his face while grabbing floo powder.


End file.
